diff --git a/scripts/mkcompile_h b/scripts/mkcompile_h
index 4ae735039daf..a72b154de7b0 100755
--- a/scripts/mkcompile_h
+++ b/scripts/mkcompile_h
@@ -70,15 +70,23 @@ UTS_VERSION="$(echo $UTS_VERSION $CONFIG_FLAGS $TIMESTAMP | cut -b -$UTS_LEN)"
 # Only replace the real compile.h if the new one is different,
 # in order to preserve the timestamp and avoid unnecessary
 # recompilations.
-# We don't consider the file changed if only the date/time changed.
+# We don't consider the file changed if only the date/time changed,
+# unless KBUILD_BUILD_TIMESTAMP was explicitly set (e.g. for
+# reproducible builds with that value referring to a commit timestamp).
 # A kernel config change will increase the generation number, thus
 # causing compile.h to be updated (including date/time) due to the
 # changed comment in the
 # first line.
 
+if [ -z "$KBUILD_BUILD_TIMESTAMP" ]; then
+   IGNORE_PATTERN="UTS_VERSION"
+else
+   IGNORE_PATTERN="NOT_A_PATTERN_TO_BE_MATCHED"
+fi
+
 if [ -r $TARGET ] && \
-      grep -v 'UTS_VERSION' $TARGET > .tmpver.1 && \
-      grep -v 'UTS_VERSION' .tmpcompile > .tmpver.2 && \
+      grep -v $IGNORE_PATTERN $TARGET > .tmpver.1 && \
+      grep -v $IGNORE_PATTERN .tmpcompile > .tmpver.2 && \
       cmp -s .tmpver.1 .tmpver.2; then
    rm -f .tmpcompile
 else